CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE IN MADRID

At the beginning of 2006, MoMa in New York staged the exhibition “ON-SITE: New Architecture in Spain“, which aimed to share with the world Spain’s new image. More citizen-friendly cities, museums with a new look and ecological buildings are all part of a revolution led by Spanish and foreign architects, whose results can be seen in cities like Madrid.

And this is a reality now a day. We experiencing vertiginous change.The city´s thwarted ambition to host the 2012 Olympic games, now revived with its bid for the next one´s and led our town to a radical transformation of a new profile full of color .

We invite you to visit ten buildings which will undoubtedly make history, by Richard Rogers , Norman Foster,Dominique Perrault, Rafael Moneo , Nouvel or Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron

Torre Espacio, with a height of 223 metres, changes shape with each floor giving the overall effect of a huge eye. Torre PWC, 236 metres, houses a luxury five-star hotel with a splendid view of the city. Torre Cristal has a hanging garden at the top of its 249 metres. The highest of the four towers is Torre Bankia with a height of 250 metres.

Manzanares Park (1998). Ricardo Bofill Leví

This park, where the idea is to go back to nature and traditional Mediterranean gardens, is one of the most interesting architectural projects of the late 1990s.Orchards, olive groves and the riverbed frames the Magic Box (a High Performance Tennis Centre), designed by Dominique Perrault.

Extension of the Museo del Prado (2006). Rafael Moneo

All that remains of the old San Jerónimo el Real convent, which lies behind the Museo del Prado, is the church and the arcade of the cloister.The latter, now surrounded by an enclosure of brick,gives light to the museum’s temporary exhibitions. A parterre of box hedges connects the new and the old building.

Library and Centre of the UNED (2001). J.L. Linazasoro

As a city’s history is an integral part of its present self, the restoration of historical buildings is conducted with the utmost care, respecting even the melancholy of the ruins. A church turned library, this building has kept its baroque nature and remains a topless dome. The rough texture of the old bricks contrasts with the clean, smooth concrete and steel.

Extension of the Museo Reina Sofía (2005). Jean Nouvel

Under a bright red parasol, Jean Nouvel pictures a city for art, with a library, exhibition rooms and an auditorium; three buildings, which extend what was formerly the hospital built by Sabatini. Opposite the austere granite walls of the old building, the new glass structures remind us of a state-of-the-art factory. What was once designed to hide is now transparent for all to see.

CaixaForum (2008). Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron

This avant-garde arts centre seems to float. Although it still preserves a large part of the old power station’s façade, the stone base has been removed so it rests solely on three points.On top of the old gable roof now rises a heavy, asymmetric one which increases the “suspension” effect. The vertical garden covering one of the walls turns this little square into a unique urban space.